BY-LAWS AND OFFICERS 


OP TH-E 



WITH 


REPCRTS 


ON THEIR 


COBALT AND NICKEL MINES 


IN 


CHATHAM, MIDDLESEX CO. CONN. 


BY 

C. F. A. SIMONIN, 

OF TIIE FIRM OF 

W. COFFIN & CO. COBALT AND NICKEL REFINERS 

I’HILAI) E LPHIA : 

AND 

C. S. RICHARDSON, 

MINING ENGINEER. 


WITH ASSAYS OF THE ORE, &c. &e. 


< > 


( — £ 


ELIHU GEER, STATIONER AND STEAM PRINTER, 

10 STATE ST. HARTFORD. 

MDCCCUV. 


















































I 





















































CO MPA PA T/ICE SCCT/OA/ ACPOSS THi f SETT 



Brook 

SHAFT and 
Fho.rnpion orMizinToilc. 


/Vo 7-th Adit. 

Forth Ara ncA. 

3/id d/e Adct. 

Midi//eCode or ffokerlJr hode. 


loin of f/uartz. 


' South Adit. 
Saul A /Brunch . 
















BY-LAWS AND OFFICERS 



OF THE 



WITH 



R E P 0 R T S 

ON THEIR 


COBALT AND NICKEL MINES, 

IN 


CHATHAM, MIDDLESEX CO. CONN. 


BY 

C. F. A. SIMONIN, 

OF THE FIRM OF 

XV. COFFIN & CO. COBALT AND NICKEL REFINERS 

PHILADELPHIA: 

AND 

C. S. RICHARDSON, 

MINING ENGINEER. 


WITH ASSAYS OF THE ORE, &c. &c. 



ELIHU GEER, STATIONER AND STEAM PRINTER, 


10 STATE ST. HARTFORD. 


MDCCCUV. 




















aT , v* 

* 'o 




7" h 4 a : o 

' is- 














3 


Cktfjam Cflkft Utiroitg Compnir. 

-♦ »-;- 

OFFICE, 58 BEAVER STREET, N.Y. 

ORGANIZED UNDER THE GENERAL LAW OF THE STATE OF 1L Y. 

100,000 Shares. . . Par Value, Five Dollars each. 


TRUSTEES: 

W. COFFIN, Philadelphia. 
CHARLES GOULD, New York. 

E. A. RUSSELL, Middletown , Conn. 
JOHN LAIDLAW, New York . 

T. R. HUBBARD, New York. 

PRESIDENT: 

W. COFFIN. 

SECRETARY: 

W. L. HUBBARD. 


/ 


TREASURER: 

T. R. HUBBARD. 















. 




. 








- 










. 
























































' 









• .. 




I 


BY-L AW S 

OF THE 


(El)atI)am Cobalt Milling (Ea. 


ARTICLE 1. — OFFICE OF BUSINESS. 

The principal office for the transaction of the business of the 
Company, and the general direction of its affairs, shall be located 
in the City of New York. 

ARTICLE 2. — agent at the works. 

The Trustees shall appoint an Agent residing in Middlesex 
County, Connecticut, who shall have charge of the Company’s 
business, and perform all duties required of such Agent by the 
Trustees. 

ARTICLE 3.— MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS. 

An annual meeting of the Stockholders shall be held at the 
office of the Company, in the City of New l T ork, on the second 
Wednesday in December, in each year, commencing on the second 
Wednesday of December, 1854. Twelve days previous notice of 
the same shall be given, by publication in at least one newspaper 
printed in the city of New York. 

ARTICLE 4. — votes and proxies. 

At all elections and business meetings of the Stockholders, each 
share of stock shall be entitled to one vote, and may be voted by 

the holder in person, or, in his absence, by proxy. 





6 


ARTICLE 5.— ELECTION OF trustees. 

A Board of Trustees shall be elected at each annual meeting of 
the Stockholders. In case of vacancy, by resignation or otherwise, 
the vacancy shall be supplied by the remaining Trustees. If no 
election shall take place at the annual meeting of Stockholders, 
the Secretary shall immediately thereafter call a meeting for the 
election of Trustees, by publishing a notice for that purpose, at 
least fourteen days previously, in one newspaper printed in the city 
of New York. If no election of Trustees shall take place at a 
meeting so called, the existing Trustees shall remain in office until 
the next annual meeting of Stockholders. 

ARTICLE 6. — choice of president and other officers. 

The Board of Trustees shall, immediately after their organization, 
proceed to choose a President, from their number; and they shall 
appoint a Secretary and Treasurer, and shall fix their compensation. 

ARTICLE 7 . — powers and duties of trustees. 

The Board of Trustees shall have the control and management 
of the affairs and property of the Company, subject to the purposes, 
limitations, and restrictions of the By-Laws, and to the instructions 
of the Company, by a vote, at any regular meeting, when a 
majority of the stock is represented. 

They shall have power to appoint and employ such, and as many 
agents and servants as the interests and business of the Company 
may from time to time require; to fix their compensation and define 
their duties. 

They shall render an account at every annual meeting of the 
stockholders, showing in detail the situation of the property and 
financial affairs of the Company: and they shall also render a 

similar account at any regular meeting of the stockholders, when 
requir ed by a vote thereof to do so; and generally they shall have full 


7 


power to do all such acts, and to adopt all measures, not inconsistent 
with the laws of the State, or the By-Laws of the Company, 
(subject, however, to special instructions by a vote of the stock¬ 
holders, as aforesaid,) as they shall deem best calculated to promote 
the interests of the stockholders. 

ARTICLE 8 . — special meetings of the company. 

Special meetings of the Company may be called by the Board 
of Trustees, or by the Stockholders representing two-thirds of the 
stock of the Company; and at any such meeting, two-thirds of the 
stock in interest may do any act which is provided to be performed 
at an annual meeting. 

ARCTIC LE 9. — MEETING OF TRUSTEES. 

The regular meetings of the Board of Trustees shall be held at 
the office of the Company, on the first Wednesday of every month, 
in the City of New York, (special meetings shall he held at the 
same place, unless a majority of them shall appoint some other 
place of meeting, and may be called by any two of the Trustees 
upon proper notice by the Secretary.) At all meetings of the 
Board of Trustees, three members shall constitute a quorum for 
transacting the regular, appropriate and necessary business of the 
board. 

ARTICLE 10.— duties of president. 

It shall he the duty of the President to preside at all meetings, 
both of Stockholders and Board of Trustees; to sign all bonds, 
debentures or contracts entered into by, or in behalf of the Com¬ 
pany, unless in cases otherwise ordered by the Board of Trustees; 
to sign all certificates of stock, and in general to perform all acts 
incident to such corporate office. In the absence of the President, 
the meeting may appoint a President pro tern, who shall, during 
his absence, discharge all the duties of President. 


8 


ARTICLE 11.— DUTIES OF SECRETARY. 

The Secretary shall notify all special meetings of Stockholders 
and Board of Trustees, and shall record the proceedings of all 
their meetings, and keep proper books of account for the business 
of the Company—a stock ledger, transfer-book, and such other 
books and papers, as the Trustees may direct; all which, said 
books and correspondence shall be kept in the office of said Com¬ 
pany, open at all reasonable times for the inspection of the Trustees 
or Stockholders. He shall countersign and register all certificates 
of stock, and other documents, requiring the signature of the 
President; and generally shall perform all such services and duties 
as usually pertain to his office in a corporate body. In the absence 
of the Secretary, the meeting may appoint a Secretary pro tern., 
who shall, during his absence, discharge all the duties of Secretary. 

ARTICLE 12.— duties of treasurer. 

The Treasurer shall have the custody of all the funds of the 
Company, until the same shall be divided or appropriated by the 
Board of Trustees, and his bank account shall be kept in the name 
of the Company. He shall sign receipts and acknowledgments for 
all moneys and other property of the corporation, which may come 
into his hands, and disburse and appropriate the same, only under 
the direction, and with the sanction of the Board of Trustees. He 
shall render a full and particular statement of his cash account, 
at every annual meeting of the Company, with vouchers, showing 
the condition of the financial affairs, and a similar account at any 
regular meeting of the Stockholders, when required by a vote 
thereof, to do so; and shall exhibit his books and accounts, upon 
application of any Trustee. 

ARTICLE 13. — CERTIFICATES OF STOCK. 

The Certificates of Stock, shall be numbered and registered, as 


9 


they arc issued; they shall exhibit the holder’s name, and the 
number of shares, and shall be signed by the President, and 
countersigned by the Secretary. Transfer of stock shall only be 
made on the books of the Company, either by the holder in person, 
or by Attorney, and the possession of a Certificate of Stock shall 
not be regarded as vesting any ownership of the same in any other 
than the person in whose name it it issued, (as between the Com¬ 
pany and such other holder,) until the transfer is duly made on 
the books of the Company, as aforesaid. 

ARTICLE 14.— dividends. 

The Trustees shall declare dividends out of the nett profits of 
the Company, w'hen, and as often as, in their opinion, the state of 
the Company’s funds will permit—giving due notice, by publication 
or otherwise, of the time and place of payment of any such divi¬ 
dend ; such payment to be made to those stockholders who shal 
appear, by the stock-ledger, to be entitled to the same, on the day 
such dividend was declared. 

ARTICLE 1 5 .— 1 AMENDMENT OF BY-LAWS. 

The foregoing By-Laws maybe altered, amended or repealed 
at any annual meeting of the Stockholders, by a vote of three- 
fourths of the stock represented at such meeting, or at a meeting 
called specially for that purpose, previous notice of such special 
meeting having been published at least six days, in a paper printed 
in the City of New York. 


2 















































- 



• 






. 














) ' v jl> 


■ 











* 




















. 

t 




















. 






■ 














































11 


Office of tljc Cljatljam Cobalt ill tiling Co. 

58 BEAVER STREET, N. Y. ) 

December, 1858. ) 

The Executive Trustees of the Chatham Cobalt Mining Company, 
instead of presenting to the Stockholders, a number of Reports of 
Professors of Geology—a custom generally practiced by Mining 
Companies in this country, but never followed in the large mining 
districts of Europe—offer hereby the following statements, coming 
from men practically acquainted with the subject upon which they 
report, and being therefore the best judges. 

It is hardly necessary to say that the firm of W. Coffin & Co., 
in which Mr. Simonin has been for many years, the partner who 
had charge of the refining works, is the only concern in America, 
in successful operations for working Cobalt and Nickel Ores. 
Their most valuable and extensive works, erected expressly for 
that purpose, are situated in Philadelphia, and they are now build¬ 
ing still larger ones in Camden, N. J. The Oxyd of Cobalt, man¬ 
ufactured by them, is pronounced in England, superior to any 
produced there, while their metallic Nickel is eagerly bought in 
this country, by the manufacturers of German Silver. 

The ores analyzed by Mr. Simonin, w r ere, as he states in his 
report, taken by him directly from the mine , in various samples, 
and his assays of the same, with the general per centage of the 
lode, and the contract for the ore, &c. &c., will be found below. 

It must be gratifying to the stockholders, that since the reports 
of Messrs. Coffin & Co., were received, Mr. W. Coffin has con¬ 
sented to become the President of the Company, a post to which 
his long experience of the Cobalt and Nickel trade, make him emi^ 
nently qualified, 


12 


A report on the mine itself by C. S. Richardson, Esq., an 
eminent scientific and practical mining engineer from London, 
whose authority is highly esteemed throughout the great mining 
districts of England, is also presented along with a map of the Sett, 
as drawn by him. 

It may be well to say a few words more as to the property of 
the Company. The lands on which their mining operations are 
being carried on are situated in the town of Chatham, Middlesex, 
Co., Connecticut. 

They are in the neighborhood of Great Hill, a very romantic 
mountain, which is said to be the highest elevation in the County. 
These lands, comprising about one hundred and thirty acres, trav¬ 
ersed by several lodes, are held under general mining leases, 
granted by different individuals. The most important of these 
leases are given in such a manner that the Company can hold the 
lands for as long a time as they may desire, the only condition for 
their ever continuing durance, being a punctual payment of the 
rents. These amount for the whole mining property to $408 per 
annum, an amount very trifling, in consideration to the min¬ 
eral value of the lands. A never ceasing stream runs through 
the property, yielding more than the necessary water for the pro¬ 
cess of dressing and washing the ore. The right of erecting dams 
on this stream, and of using the w T ater power thereby gained, is 
also secured. As the public road is near the mine, there will be 
no difficulty in transporting the ore for shipment to Middle Haddam 
Landing, the distance of which from the mines is about two miles. 
Here numerous vessels and steamers bound to New York, and 
Philadelphia, stop daily. Plenty of timber of all kinds grows 
in the neighborhood of the mines, and can be obtained for a fair 
price. The Company have also obtained the refusal of excellent 
mineral, wood and building lands near the mine for a low price, 
which can be purchased whenever it is deemed necessary. 


13 


The mines of the Company are the only ones in the United States , 
ivhich yield Cohalt and Nickel Ore , in a regular vein not mixed with 
other metallic substances . The great advantage derived thereby, 
is at once perceived, as the separation of the rock from the ore, 
can be effected by merely simple mechanical means, which, in the 
only other two mines in this country, yielding Cobalt and Nickel 
ores, in any quantity, cannot be done. These two mines are the 
Mine La Motte, in Missouri, where the Cohalt and Nickel ore is 
intimately blended with Copper pyrites, which makes the extrac¬ 
tion of the ore most difficult, and the Mines of the Potapsco Cop¬ 
per Mining Company, where it occurs sparingly under similar 
circumstances. 

The lode (Roberts’ Lode) upon which the principal mining ope¬ 
rations have been based so far, and from which the richest ore 
(that analyzed by Mr. Simonin) is obtained, is in no wise connect¬ 
ed with the old Chatham Cobalt Mines, which, as they have no 
regularly dipping lode, but were worked without any system upon 
what miners call a flat lode, with very little ore, and that little, 
strongly mixed with Zincblende, Galena, &c. k c., proved heretofore 
a failure. Roberts’ lode is a newly discovered regular vein, yield¬ 
ing, according to Mr. Simonin's assays, 2.2 p. c. of Cobalt and 
Nickel, as it is raised out of the mine , along with rock , fc. 
though the only level through which it has been worked so far, is 
but a few feet from the surface. 

The commercial value of the ore is given in the letter of Mr. 
W. Coffin, to the present Treasurer of the Company. Cobalt* is 
the source from which the blue enamel on China and stone ware 
is obtained, and it finds many other applications in the arts. Nickel 
is the metal from which German Silver is manufactured. 

* What is commonly in trade called Cobalt, is not Cobalt in reality, being nothing 
but an impure Arsenic Acid. Cobalt is worth at present, fourteen shillings sterling per 



15 




REPORT OF C. F. A. SIMONIN, Esq. 

Philadelphia , Nov. 18^, 1853, 

T. R. Hubbard, Esq* 

Sir:*—By request of Doctor Francfort, I visited the Cobalt 
Mine of the “ Chatham Cobalt Mining Company,” and took there¬ 
from a sufficient number of specimens of ore to illustrate, as far 
as analysis concerns the character of the lode the Company is at 
present working, as also to throw as much light as possible on the 
prospects of your present operations. 

These specimens were taken by me from the lode designated as 
“ Roberts'" Lode,” and were four in number , viz: 

A—a specimen of the general run of the lode, crushed and 
washed in my presence, by Captain Roberts. 

B—a specimen of coarse grained washed ore. 

C—a specimen of finer grained washed ore. 

D—a specimen of the general run of the lode, (not washed.) 

I regret that not having sufficient time allowed me, I have been 
compelled to confine myself to merely testing your ores for Cobalt 
and Nickel , which I hope will answer your present purposes. The 
results of my tests are as follows: 

A—18.2, per cent of Oxide of Cobalt and Nickel. 

B—13.85, 

C—13. T, « “ “ 

D—2.2, “ “ “ “ 

The relative proportions of Oxide of Cobalt and Nickel in these 

different results, are 

Oxide of Nickel, . . . 50.6 

Oxide of Cobalt, . * . 49.4 


16 


These proportions may however change very much in the differ¬ 
ent levels of your lode, in fact I have tested at a former time a 
specimen of ore sent to our firm by Mr. W. L. Hubbard, which 
gave me nearly twenty-five per cent of oxide of Cobalt and Nickel, 
containing the Nickel in much smaller proportions. This large 
amount of Nickel may seem to lessen the intrinsic value of your 
ores; this however is but seemingly the case, taking into consider¬ 
ation the large quantity of ore which you are enabled to bring into 
the market, and the but limited consumption of Cobalt, ^whilst the 
applicability of Nickel to many different purposes in the arts will 
enlarge its consumption and consequently retain its value. 

In alluding to the prospects of your Mining operations, I can 
but express myself most favorably; although a yield of 2.2 per 
cent, may appear but very inconsiderable, it is nevertheless abun¬ 
dantly sufficient to pay for its extraction. In making this assertion 
I take into consideration the great advantages and facilities your 
mine offers. You have a large, fully defined lode with the ore 
well disseminated, very easy and consequently cheap mining, the 
great advantage of concentrating your ores by merely mechanical 
means to a high per centage, the prospects of an almost unlimited 
supply of ore, and from the fact that your mining operations so far 
being but surface operations, we may infer from analogy that your 
lode will increase in richness and size as you extend your opera¬ 
tions to a greater depth. 

In reference to the price our firm may consider itself justified 
in offering your company, I would refer you to Mr. William Coffin, 
who has the commercial affairs of our firm under his particular 
care, and intends to address you on the subject. 

Wishing you every success, I remain dear sir, 

Yours very respectfully, 

C. F. A. SIMONIN. 


17 


“ LETTER OF W, COFFIN, Esq.” 

T. R. Hubbard, Esq. 

Dear Sir,— 

By request of Dr. Francfort, we make you 
an offer for the Cobalt and Nickel ore to be obtained from your 
Chatham mine in Connecticut. We base our offer on the ore be¬ 
ing washed up to eighteen per cent, of Cobalt and Nickel as per 
sample taken from the mine and washed and tested by our Mr. C. 
F. A. Simonin. This contained about nine per cent, of Cobalt 
and nine per cent, of Nickel. Thus allowing two per cent, of Ox¬ 
ide of Nickel to be equal in value to one per cent, of Oxide of Co¬ 
balt, the Nickel would be equal in value to about four and a half 
per cent, of Oxide of Cobalt, which will make the ore equal to 
thirteen and a half per cent. Oxide of Cobalt in value. 

For the above we will give you two hundred dollars per ton of 
2240 pounds, delivered at the wharf in Philadelphia, on twelve 
months’ credit from delivery; or a deduction of ten per cent, for 
cash. In case you require our notes or a settlement at a shorter 
time than twelve months, we are to be allowed a discount at the 
rate of ten per cent, per annum for the time until the account be¬ 
comes due. 

We will take two hundred tons of the ore for the first year , 
(commencing from the time of the first delivery of the same,) at 
the price named, and after that time will refine all that we can 
sell. Cobalt is worth fourteen shillings sterling per pound, at the 
present time ; and we would wish to add this condition after the 
first year, or from the commencement if you prefer it, viz: that in 
case the price of cobalt or nickel should vary from fourteen shil¬ 
lings sterling per pound for cobalt, and one dollar and seventy 

3 


18 


cents per pound for nickel, that you should bear half the loss in 
case the price falls, and that we should allow you one-half the 
extra profits in case the price advances above the price named, 
in addition to the one of 200 dollars per ton as before mentioned. 

Yours respectfully, 

WILLIAM COFFIN & CO. 

P. S. It is understood that the above offer is made on condi¬ 
tion that we are to have twenty-five hundred shares of the stock 
of the Chatham Cobalt Mining Company, at the regular sub¬ 
scription price, and the refusal of twenty-five hundred shares 
additional, at the same price at a future time. 

Yours, &c. 

WILLIAM COFFIN & CO. 




19 


« 


REPORT OF C. S. RICHARDSON, Esq. 

T. R. Hubbard, Esq., 

Treasurer Chatham Cobalt Mining Co. 

Sir :—Your valuable mineral property is situated about six miles 
from Middletown, Conn. The sett is one of considerable extent 
and amply sufficient to make a large mine. It is in a locality 
highly congenial for minerals, and more particularly for copper, 
being immediately on the junction of the Granite and Slate forma¬ 
tion. The strata appear to he regular, although some what flat; 
this, I am certain, will change in depth, as it is found to do in 
most sloping grounds near the primary mountain slopes. It is in 
situations like this that the Cornish miner looks for good mines ; a 
reference to the maps of Cornwall will show that most of our rich 
copper mines, particularly in the neighborhood of Camborne and 
Redruth are similarly located. 

THE MAIN LODE OR CHAMPION LODE. 

This is a truly beautiful lode; and is the champion lode of which 
all the others yet discovered are the feeders, which in depth will 
fall into it. Its underlay is towards the granite, which is very 
favorable, about four feet to the fathom or at an angle of 50° with 
the horizon, but which will get more vertical in depth. It is nearly 
five feet wide, carrying a leading vein of quartz with arsenical ore 
going down. On this lode a shaft has b6en sunk eight fathoms 
deep, as I understand ; the water being in it, I could not examine 
the bottom, but Captain Roberts, the agent of the mine, informed 
me that there is a good course of ore now opened, and the speci¬ 
mens shown me confirm the truth of his statement. I examined 


/ 


20 


the deads from the shaft, and find that ore is finely disseminated 
through the lode. I am certain a lode like this cannot fail to make 
a large quantity of ore when it is intersected by the droppers and 
other parallel small veins. The ore is at present an arsenical Iron 
with its usually associated minerals, Mundic, Nickel and Cobalt. 
I should advise the erection of a small steam engine to prove the 
Lode down 20 or 30 fathoms. This can be done at a small 
expense. The engine need not to be placed at the shaft, but may 
be erected on the site chosen for the stamps and dressing floors. 
The pumps should be actuated by means of flat rods, as the dis¬ 
tance will not be very great. When the lode has been driven on 
some 20 fathoms each way, the proper place for the worldng Engine 
shafts may be determined. Then a perpendicular shaft should be 
put and a proper pumping engine erected. The bearing of the 
lodes varies but little with each other. They appear to run with 
the Granite range, which is nearly N. E. and. S. W. Shode pits 
have been put down in many places on the backs and have proved 
them to have a regular bearing, besides carrying strings of ore up 
to the very surface. 

There are three other lodes on the property, which I will de¬ 
scribe as, 

No. I.—A south lode, 

No. II .—The middle or Roberts lode. 

No. III.—The North Branch. 

No. 1. The South lode , called by you Barratt vein; this lode 
or branch is a flat underlayer, its underlay being seven feet in the 
fathom, bearing 72° N. E. A level has been driven on it for a 
few fathoms. It will continue its inclination until it falls in with 
the lode No. 2. It has a greater dip than the strata, 'which are 
Mica Slate of a very shaly decomposed character, quite congenial 
for making ore, At the present shallow depth it is about sixteen 


21 


inches thick, and composed out of a Mica Flucan with traces of 
cobalt ore ; between this and Roberts lode is a dropper or vein of 
opaque quartz, eight inches thick, dipping also towards No. 2. 
This will in my opinion, if it holds down strongly influence the No. 
2 lode, and probably heave it away faster towards the Champion 
Lode, but there is no positive reliance to be placed in it, as strings 
of quartz of this character are frequently found in the Slate forma¬ 
tion in the form of floors or beds and thus die out. 

No. 2. Middle or Roberts Lode. 

( This is the Lode upon which the Company carry on at present 
their chief operations.') 

This is a very pretty lode situated twenty-one fathoms North 
of No. 1. It averages two feet in thickness, dips five feet to the 
fathom. Its bearing is 70° N. E. Its veinstone is gneiss with a 
great deal of black mica and red garnet, its ore the true Nickel and 
Cobalt ore. A level is being driven on its course easterly, which 
is now extended to 3134 fathoms. In the back of this level some 
ground is now being sloped away, which is good stamp work. The 
lode is spotted w T ith ore throughout, in fact the whole is saving work, 
and if it was in the old country would set at a fair tribute. I am 
somewhat surprised tribute pitches are not set in a lode like this, 
particularly as the ground is so fair. The specimens taken, as 
hereinafter described, -were a fair sample of the end, back and 
bottom of the lode. The results of the yield of saleable ore gained 
from them, are sufficiently satisfactory for any reasonable person 
to expect from a lode not six fathoms from grass. In fact, I was 
greatly astonished when I made a van of its contents. 

No. 3, or North Branch. 

This lode is seven fathoms distant from No. 2, and is a flat 
underlayer, being seven feet to the fathom. It is entirely com¬ 
posed of Mica Flucan. The country around it, is in a very decom- 





22 

posed state. The lode appears to be one foot thick, but in con¬ 
sequence of its unsettled state, very little can be said of its 
properties. A level has been driven on it five and a half fath¬ 
oms. There appears very little alteration of its properties in 
the end. I did not perceive any mineral in it. If this branch 
does not materially alter in depth, it is very likely to form a 
slide. Large deposits of mineral take place, and the lodes are 
enriched by slides, but till they are troublesome. There not 
being any plan of the sett, I have been unable to lay out the 
exact position of the lodes on paper, but the following section will 
give an approximate idea of their relative positions. I should 
advise you to have the property properly surveyed and a working 
plan made of the intended works. By doing this, you will see 
what is required, and then an estimate can be made of the cost of 
erecting machinery, &c., &c. 

As you are already satisfied that the lodes are productive, you 
should this winter prepare for the erection of a high-pressure en¬ 
gine of about 14 inch cylinder, which working at 40 pound steam 
will give you 20 horse power. It should have a long stroke, and 
made to work expansively to save fuel. To this engine, on the 
North side, will be connected the flat rods, of the trial shafts, in 
which must be dropped a lift of 8 “ Pumps and balance bob for a 
five feet stroke ; this going 12 strokes per minute, will draw 120 
gallons of water, which I think, will keep the shafts in fork, until 
down to the intersection of the lodes No. 2 and No. 3, at which 
point a much larger quantity of water may be expected. Attached 
also by the same side of the engine, must be a winding apparatus 
for drawing the stuff from the shaft. I should recommend one 
similar to that erected by Mr. Sheldon at the Bristol mines, which 
is both simple and efficient, and not expensive. The process of 
dressing the ore must be by stamps as the ore is finely dissemina¬ 
ted like gold through the stone, and requires to be brought down 
very low to effect a perfect separation. I should recommend the 


23 


floors to be set out much similar to tin floors, but with long drags 
from the covers and slime pits one below the other. This is neces¬ 
sary, as the waste is very light, having in it so much finely lamin¬ 
ated Mica. You can dispense entirely with buddies, racks and 
frames, by adopting a set of “ Bradford’s Vanning Machines.” 
This beautiful invention effects a perfect separation of the ore, 
and renders it marketable in one opertaion. I should say nearly 
cent, per cent, is saved in time and labor, besides the advantages 
of having the ore dressed much cleaner and better than can be 
done in the old way. To the South side of the engine, to com¬ 
mence with, 12 heads of stamps must be erected; others can be 
attached as the operations on the mine enlarge. The stuff from 
the shaft and several shallow levels will be run on tram ways, 
direct into the passes of the stamps. For the sake of saving labor 
and facilitating the conversion of timber for the various uses on the 
mine, a good circular saw-inill should be put up in the carpenter’s 
shop. The cost is trifling, compared with its use. If you adopt 
the new Vanning machines, I must advise you to have “ Com¬ 
pound Stamps and Agitators.” These stamps have three different 
speeds. They reduce the stuff to an impalpable powder, and ren¬ 
der it fit to go direct to the agitators, from them to the machines, 
from whence the ore is ready for market. 

This mine must be worked in nearly every respect similar to a 
tin mine. The ores should also be calcined to free them from sul- 
'phur and arsenic, which would bring the produce much higher, 
and a better standard would be thereby obtained. 

For your guidance in estimating the value of a lode, the follow¬ 
ing formula may be relied on. It is estimated rather under what it 
brings out in practice, as allowance is made for waste. 

A cubic fathom of lode=216 cubic feet. 

A cubic fathom weighs— 32,000 lbs. 

A cubic fathom will make at grass=2,000 gallons of work. 




24 


10 gallons of work—1 sack. 

100 sacks of work weigh=16,000 lbs. 

200 sacks of work make=l cubic fathom. 

1 cubic fathom weighs—16 tons (American.)* 

The mode of estimating the value then, will be, as so many 
pounds of clean ore to the 100 sacks of work or lode stuff. I have 
taken a sampling from the main lode, and the No. 2, or Roberts 
lode. The produce in marketable ore of the latter, I herewith 
send you. For this, I will assume a value of thirty pounds, or 
$145 per ton.f Samples taken from the stope, the end and the 
bottom of No. 2, or middle lode, (Roberts lode) give an average 
throughout, of 2267 lbs. per 100 sacks, which at $145, is worth 
$386 per cubic fathom, or $128 per fathom of lode as it stands 
taken at two feet thick. In addition to the above samplings, I 
took stones from the leader of the main lode, and also some from 
the addit end, which may be called best work, and gave them to 
Capt. Pinch, of the Northampton mines, Mass. He made a most 
careful van of which the four packages I herewith send you, are 
the results. 

Van of sample from Roberts Lode , (No. 2, or Middle Lode.) 

Cobalt and Nickel ore, - * 28.57 

Waste, - ' - . - - - 42.86 

Slimes, - 28.57 

100.00 

Of course the produce of even best work cannot be expected to 
make, when dressed by machinery or the ordinary process of 

*A slight difference is made from the Cornish computation to reduce it to decimal 
calculation. The English ton is 2240 pounds, the American being 2000 pounds. 

C. S. R. 

t Thii is the ore for which Mr. Coffin offers two hundred dollars per ton. 



2 j 


huddling, anything like this sample, nevertheless there is not the 
least doubt but that the lodes are very rich and productive . It 
does not come within the province of a mine report to say what will 
be the profits derivable from the working of the mine; that depends 
entirely on the manner in which the mining operations are conduc¬ 
ted, but if due economy and prudence are exercised in the man¬ 
agement, I have not the least doubt but the mine will be highly 
remunerative. 

CHARLES SAMUEL RICHARDSON, 

Mining Engineer. 


X 

4 



' 














/ 

■ 















& 


' - 1 i 1 E ' ’ : 

; . ' 

• i ; : 

. , 












. 





























































,, 























































t . 













27 


HISTORY OF THE OLD CHATHAM MINES. 

As it may be of interest to the stockholders, to know something 
about the mining operations carried on in the vicinity of the new 
mines in ancient times. The following extracts from the “ Centen¬ 
nial Address , by David D. Field , D. i>.,” are given relative to this 

The reason of the failure of the old enterprises will be easily 
perceived through a perusal of these extracts. Ignorance of mi- 
ing operations, want of capital, and particularly the fact that all 
these explorations wAere confined to the same , or nearly the same 
place , where a little of the ore occurs, though not in a true vein, 
are among the most prominent. As regards the operations of Gov¬ 
ernor Winthrop, it must be remembered that, as Nickel was not 
known as a metal, until 1751, when it was discovered by Cronstedt, 
nor Cobalt, until 1733, when it was examined by Brandt, he can¬ 
not be supposed to have known the nature or value of the ore for 
which he carried on mining operations on Great Hill. It is, 
however, very probable that he was deceived through the great 
resemblance which Cobalt and Nickel ores bear to silver, and that 
he therefore, expected to find silver. The following statements 
are quoted from pages 273-—278 of the work above referred to : 

Dr. Field writes: 

I have already said, that we should have occasion to speak more 
particularly of Great Hill and its Cobalt Mine. The situation of 
this hill, the size of which is indicated by its name, is towards the 
northwest corner of Middle-Haddam Society. That the elder Gov. 
Winthrop believed that there were mines and minerals in Middle- 
town, and that he had become so convinced of their value as to 
think seriously of setting up works for improving them, is evident 



28 


from the following grant made to him a few years after the first 
settlement of Middletown. 

“ The inhabitants of Middletown, for the encouragement of the 
designs of our much honored governor, Mr. John Winthrop, tor the 
discovery of mines and minerals, and for the setting up of such 
works as shall be useful for the improvement of them, do hereby 
grant unto our said much honored governor any profitable mines 
or minerals he shall find or discover upon any common land within 
the bounds of our Town, and such woodland as may be convenient 
for the use of the same to the value of 500 or 1000 acres as it 
may lie so that it be not nearer than two or three miles from the 
present dwelling houses of the Town, as the Town shall judge to 
be least prejudicial to themselves for their neccessary fire-wood, 
provided the Town shall have free liberty of commonage, as far as 
our town bounds go, until the improvers shall see good to impropri¬ 
ate the same with enclosures—provided further, that the said gov¬ 
ernor, and such as may be co-improvers with him, will set up the 
works to improve such mines and minerals as he shall find within 
these five years and let us know whether he doth accept of this our 
grant within two years ; and so it be to him and his heirs and asso¬ 
ciates from the time of setting up such works, else at two or five 
years, and to be in the liberty of the Town to grant the same to 
any other. May 25, 1661.” 

At the time of this grant the people of Middletown dwelt mostly 
within the limits of the city, and in the lower part of the present 
village of Cromwell. There is no probability that Mr. Winthrop 
had any very strong impression of finding valuable mines and 
minerals, excepting on the hills near the Straits, where lead on 
the west side of the Connecticut river, and cobalt on the eastern 
were afterwards more seriously sought, and these localities were 
sufficiently away from the existing settlements. That his thoughts 
were mainly, if not entirely turned to- Great Hill, is probable from 
the fact that this hill was long called the “ Governor’s Gold Ring,” 


29 


a name derived from the impression which people around had, that 
the governor, from exploration and labor there, had actually found 
gold, which might at least be made into rings. From the corres" 
pondence of the governor with learned men in England, it is pos¬ 
sible that some knowledge of this locality crossed the Atlantic in 
his time. 

Be this as it may, no considerable efforts appear to have been 
made to find gold or any other mineral in this hill for about a cen¬ 
tury after this grant was made. But about 1762 Dr. John Sebas¬ 
tian Stephauney, a German, employed a number of men, and made 
a horizontal opening into the hill in search of hid treasures. He 
continued his exertions but a short time.—About 1770 he renewed 
them in connection with two other Germans John Knool and Gom- 
inus Erkelens ; but at length it appears that he made over the man¬ 
agement of the concern to his associates, reserving to himself only 
a portion of the profits, and there was an agreement that what 
metals and minerals were sent to Great Britian should be consigned 
to Knool’s friends, and those sent to Holland to Erkelens’. A 
large opening was made in the hill, and the superincumbent matter 
was prevented by stanchions from falling upon the laborers. Many 
casks of ore were obtained and sent to Europe, and it is probable 
some were sent to China. But as all the persons, laborers as well 
as principals, were foreigners, and the ore was exported, little was 
known of its character or value. Various conjectures were made 
as to what it contained ; the better informed, however, believed 
that Cobalt was the object sought. Erkelens seems finally to have 
been the principal manager. This appears from a passage in the 
diary of Pres. Stiles of Yale College. The president writes : 

“1787, Jan. 1. Mr. Erkelens visited me, full of his Cobalt 
mine, and China voyage. He some years ago bought the Govern¬ 
or’s King, as it is called, or a mountain in the N. W. corner of East 
Haddam, [Middle Haddam] comprehending about 800 acres or 
about a square mile area. Here he finds plenty of Cobalt, which 


> 


V 


so 


he manufactures into smalt, with which is made the beautiful blue 
on China ware, &c.” 

“ Gov. Trumbull has often told me that this was the place to 
which Gov. Winthrop of New London used to resort with his 
servant, and after spending three weeks in the woods of this 
mountain in roasting ores and assaying metals and casting gold 
rings he used to return home to New London with a plenty of gold. 
Hence this is called the Gov. Winthrop’s ring to this day. Gov* 
Winthrop was an adept, in intimate correspondence with Sir Ken- 
elm Digby, and the first chemical and philosophical characters of 
the last century—as may be seen in the dedication of 40th vol. 
Phil. Transactions 1740.” 

“Mr. Erkelens about 1775 being a projector, erected a distillery 
in Haddam [Middle Haddam] 6 miles from Middletown, on a 
stream descending from this mountain—-he also purchased the 
Cobalt mine there. He has been to X2,000 sterling expense to 
no profit. He is going on a voyage to China, carrying with him 
20 tons of Cobalt ore.” 

So far the diary of President Stiles. Dr. Field continues : 

Whether he actually carried his Cobalt ore to China in 1787 we 
are not informed. But from the time he left, operations at the 
mine were suspended, and nothing more was done there for about 
30 years. The opening in the hill remained a considerable period 
but at length the stanchions giving way, the mass above fell and 
filled it. 

When Pres. Stiles visited the hill in 1787, he sketched the Gov¬ 
ernor’s Gold Ring, and a map showing the country from New London 
to Middle Haddam and Middletown. This he was doubtless prompt¬ 
ed to do, by the prospect which Great Hill afforded, which strictly 
considered is a hill of' no inconsiderable size and elevation, resting 
on the range of the Strait Hills. The Cobalt mine is near the bot¬ 
tom of this hill running so far as discovered a short distance from 
it, taking a semicircular course in accordance with its form, begin- 


31 


ning at the west southwest and gradually bending around towards 
the south and south-east, being at an elevation on the range of hills 
of about 400 feet above the level of the Connecticut, the top of the 
hill rising two or three hundred feet more. From the summit the 
view was fine in all directions then, except the northeast where a 
range of hills stretches far into the interior. It is finer now, as 
the lands are more generally cleared and the country more densely 
settled. Besides the windings of the river directly under the eye 
you often see vessels moving upon it propelled by wind and steam, 
and on the numerous hills and ranges of hills on either side, many 
churches and habitations of men. In a clear day, Long Island 
Sound with its moving navigation, and Long Island shore are dis¬ 
tinctly visible. Not far from you, you contemplate the birth-place 
of David Brainerd, and very near you the birth-place of James 
Brainerd Taylor, while in the line towards N. London you have the 
birth-place of Dr. Emmons, and further on, that of Dr. Griffin; and 
in the entire view the birth-places or residences, of many other men; 
distinguished in their day, some in civil and some in military life. 
This prospect alone is worth a visit to Great Hill, and if persons 
wish to ramble, a mile and a half east of this hill is Clark’s Hill, 
from which the Sound can be seen. 

But as to the mine, Mr. Seth Hunt, from New Hampshire, com¬ 
menced operations at Great Hill in the autumn of 1818 and con¬ 
tinued them about two years. Anticipating great results, he expen¬ 
ded liberally and exhausted his own resources. In these circum¬ 
stances he sold interests in what he had done and obtained, say one 
sixteenth to one friend and one eighth to another, until he had gath¬ 
ered around him six associates only one of whom is now living.— 
This survivor states that Mr. Hunt expended about $20,000 ; that 
his main outlay in mining was in following the vein opened by the 
Germans downwards, but that he also opened the earth and traced 
near a quarter of a mile eastward, where he found more mica and 
the absence of hornblend, and that he expended much in repairing 


32 


the old glass furnace in Glastenbury and in fitting it to smelt, in 
carrying ore thither (where most was sent,) STAMPING IT BY 
HAND !! and reducing by potash. This survivor further states, 
that though Mr. Hunt read books on mining, he did not well under¬ 
stand his work, and he doubts whether the man on whom he relied 
for chemical and scientific information, knew more than he did him¬ 
self; that he obtained as he supposed 1000 lbs. of Cobalt which was 
proved in England to be nickel, containing from three to four parts 
of Cobalt. This proof induced an entire suspension of operations. 

In the summer of 1844 the mine was opened again by Prof. 
Shepherd author of the “Report on the Geological Survey of Con¬ 
necticut.” He employed only a few hands for a short time, but 
what disposition he made of the ore, and what discoveries he or 
others obtained from it have not been ascertained, and it is a remark¬ 
able fact, alter all that has been done at different periods in and 
about Great Hill by the first Gov. Winthrop, by the Germans, Mr. 
Hunt, and Prof. Shepherd, so little is really known to the pub¬ 
lic as yet as to the worth of the minerals, and whether the mine 
can be so wrought as to render much profit to the undertakers. It 
is evident however, that the great object which has been sought is 
Cobalt, which has long been the name of the supposed mine. 









M 


.f 




